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Stories from Far Away

Joel's first recording will carry you from the old city of Jerusalem to the subways of Tokyo, from the bath houses in Turkey to a village in China, with a detour through Chelm, the mystical Jewish village of fools.The stories are beautifully woven together by clarinet music and strains of laughter. Winner of the American Library Association Notable Recording Award as well as the Parents' Choice Gold, it has also been chosen as a "Parents' Choice Classic.

The Beggar King: And Other Tales from Around the World

Tales of beggars, bakers, and babies, this is one of Joel's most beloved recordings. You'll be carried around the world and back again, with a detour through Mohammed Ali's Green Door Pizza oven in Jerusalem, with the tales woven together with strains of music to set the mood.

Lights & Laughter: Joel ben Izzy Spins Hanukkah Tales

Traveling storyteller Joel ben Izzy recounts the story of Hanukkah, as you've never heard it before, along with seven other tales to keep you laughing for all eight nights of the festival of lights. Through it all, Joel manages to capture both the warmth and humor of the holiday, with the stories woven together by the lilting music of The Kings of Klezmer.

Dreidels on the Brain

One lousy miracle. Is that too much to ask? Evidently so for Joel, as he tries to survive Hannukah 1971 in the suburbs of the suburbs of Los Angeles (or, as he calls it, "The Land of Shriveled Dreams"). That's no small task when you're a "seriously funny-looking" 12-year-old magician who dreams of being his own superhero: Normalman. And Joel's a long way from that as the only Jew at Bixby School, where his attempts to make himself disappear fail spectacularly.

The Green Hand: And Other Ghostly Tales from Around the World

Ghost stories gathered around the world, from a taxi in Hong Kong to a cemetery in Israel and one memorable tale set on a Halloween in suburbs of Los Angeles. These are some of the scariest and funniest tales Joel has found. This collection includes The Green Hand - a tale which actually found Joel, deep within a cave outside of Rome. Accompanied by an eclectic mix of creepy music, these are a great assortment of tales for late October, when the days grow dark.

How I Learned to Love Liver: And Other Tales Too Tall to Tell

This hilarious collection of tales will take you back to Joel's liver-lovin' days. As long on laughter as they are short on truth, these tales tell the story of Brian, who loved watermelon, and Brian, who hated watermelon. You'll hear the tale of Moose-Turd Pie and a tale of Paula Bunyan - which was her real name.The zaniness of the tales is matched by the music for a collection of stories you'll want to listen to again and again. Winner of Parents' Choice Silver Award.

Publisher's Summary

When a storyteller loses his voice, he believes he's lost everything. In fact, he's been given a great gift.

Once upon a time, a successful storyteller lost his voice to throat cancer. Deprived of the instrument of his art and his livelihood, he retreated into dark, sullen silence and depression. While searching for a spiritual explanation, he encountered his former mentor, a cantankerous and often drunken old man. Their meetings began a journey into the timeless wisdom of ancient tales: of beggars and kings, monks and tigers, lost horses, buried treasures, and ultimately the secret of happiness.

In this altogether original book, Joel ben Izzy shares his personal account of surviving loss, gaining wisdom, and rediscovering one's true purpose. Weaving in tales he's collected over the years from Sufi, Muslim, Chinese, Jewish, Iraqi, Zen Buddhist, Italian, and Indian cultures, he passes along the lessons he has learned. As we travel with ben Izzy from tragedy back into light and sound, we are encouraged to see our own lives as stories, and to open our own hearts to happiness.

I loved this book. We first found out about Joel Ben Izzy at a music camp where he was an instructor. He is a wonderful storyteller and this is a great book for someone struggling with an illness. It is very insightful and entertaining.